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Our Spring Report for Donors and Supporters is now available for down-
load. Click on the report to get your copy today!
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| Recommended Resource |
We Shall Remain
by PBS Home Video
Our Price:
$44.99
List Price: $49.99
Set of 5 DVD's
Release Date: May 12, 2009
From PBS's acclaimed history series, American
Experience, We Shall
Remain establishes Native history as an essential part of American
history.
These five documentaries spanning three hundred years tell the
story of pivotal moments in U.S. history from the Native American
perspective, upending two-dimensional stereotypes of American Indians
as simply ferocious warriors or peaceable lovers of the land.
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| Prayer Requests | | The Family of Larry Crow - Larry died Sunday after a battle with cancer. He was a leader in the Lakota Sioux Chapel in
Eagle Butte, SD.
John LaFontaine - battling cancerous tumors on his heart and lungs. He is a member of Hayward Wesleyan Church in Hayward, WI and a key leader in ministry on the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation.
Summer Work Teams - that God will raise up the teams and funds to com-
plete the needed projects.
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WNAM e-News
| April 15, 2009
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 Greetings! Today, April 15, is tax day in America. Like most people, I don't typically have warm feelings for "the tax man." However, I do have great appreciation for one retired tax collector who, through his book, taught me a lot about how to live a generous life and build authentic relationships with others. To find out what the tax man taught me about Native ministry, click here to read more....In Christ,  Rich Avery Director |
North Michigan District Dreams Big
| By Rich Avery
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of meeting with Rev. Thomas Schmidt, the Superintendent of the North Michigan District of The Wesleyan Church.
Pastor Tom shared with me his dream to see his district have some kind of ministry presence in each of the 17 communities where there is a Native-owned casino.
We brainstormed possible ways his district's churches could reach out to casino workers, including: childcare centers, financial management classes, substance abuse counseling, and family and marriage counseling.
I committed to help him research other ideas and look for models of other churches that are ministering to casino workers and their families. If you've got an idea, please let us know!
It was also good to learn of the leadership role Pastor Tom has taken with The New Bridge Coalition, a cross-denominational network of churches that provides corporate and prison chaplaincy services and other outreaches in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, an area with many Native residents.
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WNAM Director Travels to MN and WI
| | On April 26, WNAM director Rich Avery will speak at Waite Park Wesleyan Church in Minneapolis, MN. According to senior pastor Duane Fisher, the church is focusing its missions weekend on how to reach out to Native Americans in the Twin Cities and beyond.
Later that week, Rich travels to Hayward, WI to meet with Native ministry leaders of Hayward Wesleyan Church and learn how they are impacting the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation nearby.
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April 22 - Earth Day & Native Spirituality
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 By Rich Avery
April 22 is Earth Day - a day to foster awareness and appreciation for the earth's environment.
Over the years, I've seen an increasing awareness of the deep abiding respect that Native North Americans have for the earth.
I think I first noticed it as a child, when I saw the "crying Indian" commercial, produced by Keep America Beautiful, on t.v. Maybe you saw it too.
A friend of mine, Dean Ohlman, says there are several aspects of Native spirituality (centering around the creation) that can provide a natural bridge to Christianity. I'll list just a few:
- Belief in God (the Great Spirit) and that He is the Creator, the source of life, the source of intelligence, and sovereign over the affairs of people.
- Belief that the Creator desires for His people to live together in unity in caring communities.
- Belief that it is important to show thankfulness to the Creator on a regular basis.
- Belief that people ought to be content with enough and always be ready to share.
- Belief that technology is not the source of true happiness and satisfaction in life.
- Belief that the earth is a gift from the Creator to be used with care and compassion.
I'll explore this concept more, along with some cautions we need to watch out for, in the WNAM blog next week on Earth Day, April 22.
For more Earth Day thoughts and views on Christian environmental stewardship, check out Dean's website, The Wonder of Creation, from RBC Ministries.
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